The Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Edmonton Oilers 6-3 in a thrilling afternoon contest after returning from their break.
Flyers vs Oilers recap
Matvei Michkov started the scoring for the game with a goal off his rebound only two minutes into the contest. The scoring went in Edmonton’s favor as John Klingberg and Leon Draisaitl found the back of the net. The dangerous part about Draisaitl is that he can find the slightest opening in the net and take advantage of the space.
Sam Ersson, who played one of his most decisive games of the year in the 4 Nations Face-Off for Team Sweden, could not stop Draisaitl’s goal, which not many goalie can do. The final half of the first frame did get chippy, but Edmonton had the 2-1 lead heading into the second frame.
The Flyers had a lot of energy off the bat as the second period began. So much so as Owen Tippett scored his first game goal, tying up the contest again. The scoring continued as captain Sean Couturier gave the Flyers a 3-2 lead and scored his 200th career NHL goal. That feat wouldn’t have been complete without Michkov, who gave an excellent feed. Again, Michkov remains a valuable asset on the ice, generating scoring opportunities.
Over a minute after the captain’s goal, Mattias Ekholm can tie up the contest one last time. Ersson didn’t see this goal, but one of the Oilers’ skills is that they can creatively sneak the puck behind the net. After the game’s midway point, Tippett scored his second goal with another outstanding feed from Michkov, giving the Flyers a 4-3 lead.
The action continued soon after, but this time, Andrei Kuzmenko scored for the first time as a Philadelphia Flyer on the power play. After the contest, Kuzmenko laughed about how his stick broke twice, but he was happy that he still got the goal. It’s safe to say that he won’t forget his first as a Flyer. The orange and black led the Oilers 5-3 heading into the final frame.
In the final 20 minutes, the Oilers tried to fight back but were outplayed in every way possible by the Flyers. Ironically, Connor McDavid scored the team-winning goal for team Canada Thursday night and was absent in this contest, not showing up on the ice. He exchanged his efforts with the 4 Nations Face-Off. The Flyers got an empty netter as Rasmus Ristolainen returned to the ice after not playing in the 4 Nations Face-Off due to injury. The Flyers defeated the Oilers 6-3.
Following the win, John Tortorella praised Michkov and Kuzmenko a lot. He was impressed with Michkov’s energy throughout the game, not just on the ice but on the bench. When it came to Kuzmenko, he liked that he was coachable. During the game, the head coach told Kuzmenko to make some adjustments, and the newest member of the Flyers did.
For those wondering why the Oilers didn’t play well, Darnell Nurse spoke after the game and said, “Execution (what the team lacked). I think we’re best, and there’s simplicity to our game as well. I think you have to bring more.”
The Flyers get back to action Tuesday as they host the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
